— Time it right. Choose the right day of the week and time of the day to ask for a divorce. This is a personal subject that can be upsetting to both individuals, so you need to take extra care with this detail.

— Be clear about your intentions. You should never beat around the bush. Divorce is a serious matter so you should be clear as to why you feel it’s best and the steps that you are going to take in the future.

— Have an idea of what you want to say. You never know where the conversation will go, but you should at least have an idea of what you want to say and how you want to say it. This will allow you to take the best possible approach as the conversation continues forward.

— Safety always comes first. Do you have reason to believe that your spouse could become upset at you? If you have any fear whatsoever, don’t hesitate to ask for a divorce in a public place or even over the phone. This is not ideal, but it may be in your best interest.

When you follow these tips, you’ll find it much easier to ask your spouse for a divorce. This won’t take all the stress out of the process, but it will at least give you an idea of what you need to accomplish.

Once you have this conversation, you can turn your attention to pushing the process forward. This typically means consulting with a divorce attorney who can review your case, answer your questions, and help you understand what to expect in the days, weeks, and months to come. When you know what you’re doing, everything will soon come together and you can begin to work through the details of your divorce.